Team Manager (Fostering)

inploi; Tameside; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Tameside seeks a qualified Team Manager for its fostering service. The ideal candidate will manage Senior Practitioners and ensure high-quality support for foster carers while implementing essential corporate parenting principles. This role demands substantial experience in children's social care and management skills. The position offers a competitive salary, a permanent contract, and a chance to drive positive change for looked after children and care leavers in the community.

Qualifications

• Experience managing or supervising a team in social work.
• Ability to implement the 7 corporate parenting principles.
• Commitment to deliver high-quality care and support.

Responsibilities

• Manage and support Senior Practitioners and Social Workers.
• Contribute to expanding internal foster care system.
• Embed corporate parenting principles in service delivery.
• Enhance training and support for foster carers.
• Encourage flexible, creative solutions for fostering outcomes.

Skills

Management experience

Strong knowledge of fostering regulations

Substantial experience in children’s social care

Education

Qualified Social Worker

Job description

Overview

• Contract Type: Permanent
• Salary: Grade J. Scale 40 - £51,356 to Scale 43 - £54,495 with a professional bar at Scale 41 - £52,413
• Hours: 36 hours per week
• Base Location: Ashton Old Library, Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7SG
• Assessment Date: To be arranged

The Role

In Tameside we want to achieve the best outcomes for our looked after children and care leavers. We are looking for an enthusiastic and positive Team Manager to join our fostering service. A number of exciting changes and developments are taking place as we are committed to expanding the number of internal foster carers in line with the rise in the number of children who need to be cared for by the local authority.

You will be responsible for managing and supporting Senior Practitioners and Supervising Social Workers, while supporting the necessary changes within the service to offer an excellent support package to current carers and to encourage new carers to work for Tameside. Our service is committed to the 7 corporate parenting principles and the successful candidate will ensure these principles are embedded across our service delivery and that the voice of the child and young person is at the centre of planning processes.

You will help the team work towards our vision of providing enhanced support and training to our carers and will need to work flexibly and creatively to achieve this. You will be committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for children and ensuring our foster carers provide an excellent standard of care.

Responsibilities

1. Manage and support Senior Practitioners and Supervising Social Workers and lead necessary changes within the fostering service.
2. Contribute to expanding internal foster carers in line with demand and local authority needs.
3. Embed the 7 corporate parenting principles across service delivery and ensure the voice of the child is central to planning.
4. Support carers with an enhanced level of training and development and foster carers to deliver high-quality care.
5. Encourage flexibility and creativity to achieve outcomes for children.

About you

If you are an enthusiastic, qualified Social Worker with substantial experience in children’s social care, have management or supervisory experience and strong knowledge of fostering regulations, we would encourage you to apply.

About Us

Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services: I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was drawn to the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues. I came to Tameside to make a difference for families. We are on a significant improvement journey and are ambitious to deliver change. We offer a range of specialist services for children, including a Social Work Academy and progression pathways, with investment in innovation to grow services and support for families.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This post is classified as being in a professional job category with a professional grade development bar, subject to criteria including professional qualification, management experience, and maintained membership of a regulated body where applicable. If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within your application.

We are unable to offer sponsorship at this time. We are a disability confident employer and will consider reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Our rewards and benefits package can be viewed here. We have a commitment to improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers and ex-military personnel. For more information on our guaranteed assessment scheme, please see the provided link.

For further information about this role please contact the recruiting manager on 0161 342 4318 or [e-mail]

Optional: Job Description and Person Specification.